The majority of the reports
that we have written are the confidential property of our clients. However,
there are some reports which have been made public. Where possible, and
with the permission of our clients, we are making them available through
our web site. These reports include:

Reducing
Fraud and Waste in Income Security Programs In Canada
- winner of the 1995 Fraser InstituteWaste
in Government competition. This competition attracted over 650 submissions.
This winning proposal (both provincial and overall winner) identifies several
critical types of fraud which the various Canadian federal, provincial,
territorial and municipal income security systems find difficult to identify
and prevent because of current federal legislation. The following types
of fraud account for the majority of inappropriate expenditures, overpayments
and waste: undeclared income, multiple program claims and cross- jurisdictional
claims. The approach proposed in this concept paper would allow these types
of fraud to be more readily controlled.

Evaluation
of the Rural Physician Action Plan - completed forAlberta
Health, February, 1996. The evaluation of the Rural Physician Action
Plan is, in part, based on an analysis of the key factors which influence
a physician's decision to locate and stay in a rural practice. Factors
which may influence the decision of individual physicians in moving to,
and continuing to practice in rural and remote communities could be considered
to fall into several categories, including: community factors; market factors;
business factors; medical community factors; and information factors.

Decisions
about Tomorrow: Directives for Your Health Care.Alberta
Health. November, 1994. This public discussion guide is available in .ZIP
format (98KB WordPerfect). This discussion paper was produced as a support
to a public consultation regarding pending Alberta legislation on "living
wills". Although some of the contents of this report have been superceded
by the final Alberta legislation, the document is an excellent example
of how to develop a public discussion consultation process and obtain quantifiable
public feedback.

Typology
of Fraud and Error Control Programs - a conceptualmodel
developed by C. A. MacDonald & Associates for the use
of income security jurisdictions in Canada. There are two main types of
error which can be identified on client files in the delivery of Income
Security programs: financial and non-financial. Financial errors result
in an overpayment or underpayment to the client. Non-financial errors,
on the other hand, cannot be directly demonstrated to result in an overpayment
or underpayment.A typology of effective mechanisms and initiatives which
have been shown to impact fraud and error levels, and the contingent overpayments
and underpayments has been developed. This theoretical construct will enable
jurisdictions to assess their own fraud and error programs.

Early
Detection and Prevention Programs: Strategies for BritishColumbia -
Prepared for British Columbia
Social Services (March, 1995). The goal of Early Fraud Detection and
Prevention programs in the delivery of Income Security is to detect and
prevent fraud during the application/intake process so that assistance
is denied before benefits are issued. This is in contrast to traditional
fraud investigation programs where active assistance cases are investigated
upon suspicion or a complaint of existing fraud. This report explores ways
in which the American experience in 27 states could be implemented in British
Columbia.

Early
Detection and Prevention Programs: State Directory. Prepared for British
Columbia Social Services (March, 1995). In 1995, there were 27 American
states which had implemented Early Prevention and Detection Programs, and
a study by he federal Office of the Inspector General identified
a weighted average cost-benefit ratios across all of these states of $8.43
saved for every dollar spent on implementation. Details of the responses
from a survey of these 27 states are outlined in this companion document,
along with contact names and a brief description of the Social Services
delivery structure.

Capital
Health Authority Regional Learning and Educational Sources - prepared
for the Capital Health Authority, Edmonton,
Alberta, in February, 1997. This report proposes a conceptual framework
which can be used to address health promotion activities. Then, the health
education and health promotion activities which are available to residents
of the Capital Health region are summarized, based on the findings from
an analysis of the organizations included in the inventory. The most effective
strategies and supportive conditions for providing health education and
health promotion activities are used as a set of criteria for analyzing
the activities underway in the Capital Health region. The next chapter
presents a brief discussion of partnerships within the Capital Health region.
The final chapter provides suggestions for effective action by Capital
Health in the field of health education and health promotion with recommendations
for the next steps in the development of an action plan.

Effective
and Efficient Service Delivery Through a Common Client Identifier: Options
and Opportunities - This report is provided in .ZIP format (405kb -
Word 6.0). This technical, background report was completed for Human Resource
Develoment Canada in March, 1997 to explore the issues and opportunities
if a Common Client Identifier for Income Security Programs in Canada was
established. The report deals with the ways in which a Common Client Identifier
can enhance privacy protection for individuals, improve service delivery,
facilitate intergovernmental information sharing, and increase program
integrity.

Towards a Core Health
Services Framework for Alberta- Consultants' Report - The executive
summary of this report can be requested
from C. A. MacDonald & Associates. This report was
prepared as a background document for Alberta Health in August, 1997. Working
with all Alberta regions, and a diverse team of 50 stakeholders, this report
describes an approach to defining the range of services to which all Albertans
can expect access regardless of where they live in the province. The full
report can be obtained from Alberta Health.

Evaluation
of the Incentive Payment Program -This report
is available in .ZIP format (97KB). This evaluation, under the direction
of the Incentive Payment Program Steering Committee, reviewed the historical
context, the contextual changes, the program design, and the effectiveness
of the program in attracting and retaining rural physicans in Alberta.

Tina
MacDonald made the following presentation at the UCOWF(UnitedCouncil
on Welfare Fraud) Conference in Rochester, New York, on September 23, 1997,
on the topic of: